Benin: Pirates take crew tanker and crew hostage Jan. 9

Event

A tanker ship was attacked by pirates 24 km (15 mi) south of Cotonou, off of the coast of Benin in the Gulf of Guinea on Tuesday, January 9. As of Wednesday, January 17, the ship and its 22 crewmembers are still missing. The nationalities of the abducted crewmembers have not been released. No known communication has been established with the pirates, and their location, as well as the location and condition of the hostages, is currently unknown.

Context

There is a high risk of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. In the first quarter of 2017, 63 percent of the 27 kidnap-for-ransom cases worldwide took place in the Gulf of Guinea.

Advice

Maritime travel through the Gulf of Guinea is advised against due to the threat of piracy.